1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system projector displays, and more particularly to a system and method for a projector lamp safety interlock.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling systems typically present visual images through a peripheral display device. With information handling systems finding increasing use as entertainment tools, such as for watching movies or playing games, high quality display presentations have become of greater interest to end users. Display devices with relatively high resolution are generally able present larger images while maintaining good visual quality. One example of a high resolution display that presents a high quality image is the projector. Projectors receive visual information from information handling systems through standardized interfaces, such as through a DVI or VGA cable, and generate images with an internal transparent device, such as a liquid crystal display. A high intensity light is passed through the transparent device and focused at a point distal from the projector to present the image. For example, high pressure mercury lamps are often used in projectors to provide an intense and bright light source to illuminate the visual image. Projector lamps are periodically replaced as their brightness intensity diminishes with use. For example, the lamp is integrated in a housing sized to fit into a cavity of the projector so that lamps are changed by releasing an existing housing and inserting a new housing.
One difficulty with projectors is that the mercury lamps typically needed to get a quality visual presentation operate at high voltage levels. The voltage levels are generated with ballast electronics that connect to the lamp through the lamp housing. These high voltage levels present a hazard to end users when a lamp housing is changed if the end user forgets to disconnect power to the projector before changing the lamp. Some projectors include a safety mechanism that turns off power to the lamp ballast electronics if a projector housing door that encloses the lamp is opened. For example, a switch connected to the projector housing door deactivates power to the ballast if the projector housing door opens to expose the lamp. However, such safety systems can make a projector unusable in the event of damage to the projector housing door or to the safety switch. Over time, physical devices having moving parts are more apt to fail than electronic devices without moving parts. Further, the projector has to include wiring and programming to apply switch activation to the ballast power, all of which are subject to failure.